Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-02-06
VII.
HOW THE CHANCE a NJ

anu PneaSa0t, OSlNttu tHe pain
mill. Sometimes, when any visitors were
NJ the hall, the servants who could not Ok
accommodated in the house were sent to
the Dog and Pheasant. 1t was a tidy, re-
snpctable Old fashioned inn, low, yellow
washed. with russell tile roof, and q vine
n Black Marlborough, trained on q treiiis
over the roof, where it ripened well III
warm summers. The host han e q but
Ter 10 the old squire before the property
was soli TO the successful Oxford street
tradesman. However much the host mlght
turn up his lip of scorn in the privacy oil
his own room with his wife over these par
yenues. he was most urhane and obsequlons
TO them in public, for Mr.. Tottenham was
his landlord, and the hall brought q good
deal of custom to the Dog and Pheasant.
Throughout the n~eighborhOOd OF ondon
the old families have well nigh disappeared.
They have migrated, and sold their estates
and mansions to wealthy tradesmen, who
live in the old seats in far grander style
than did the plain country squires.
Ripgwood had belonged to the family OF
Ringwood for three hundred years then
came iaspendthrit, then rash speculation,
bad times, finally a breakup. Squire King
wood was Obliged to sell his ancestral es-
tate and manor hOue, and it was bought
by the Tottenhams of the firm Of Fotten-
hams & Sons, Oxford street.
One dsy there arrived ut the Dog and
Pheasant a gentleman Of engaging exterior
and manners. He wore u black irock coat
that fitted him admirably, lavender pants,
and kid gloves, acrimSon ribbon round MS
throat, a Glorie de Dion rose in his button
hole. His name-he showed his caSds-
Mr.. AlgernOn Beaufort. He had q deli
cate complexion and a slight cough. de
came into the country because he had 6een
ordered country air, and to RingwoOd be,
cause RingwOOd was prescribed as especi'
ally SalubriOus.
lie strolled about the neighbOrhood ior
4 day or two, and found it dull-and an
endless tract of London clay, broken Oy
old tile pits and puddles. In time one may
have too much Of a good thing; 1t taxes
very little time 10 have enough oil LONDON
clay.
Mr.. Beaufort, standing in the bar, draw
ipgo on his gloves, with his elegant laven-
der legs wide apart, asked il 1t weresper-
miSsible for strangers to STROLL in the park.
The host of the inn heSitated. IL was not
a favor generally accorded, but II the gen.
tIeman would not mind taking n message
of thanks from him TO the keeper. whose
lodge was in the park, fora brace OF ahblts
he had sent his miSsus, 1t might serve rs
an excuse. Then Mr.. Beaufort could o
about him, and see the trees, and the deer,
and the lake, and the keeper might, per
haps, take him over the warren.
Nr. Beaufort was much obliged. His
Gloire de Dion was faded, SD he ventnred
to beg a China rose of the landlady, which
suited his complexion better even than the
Gloire de Dion, assumed his highly pol
ished hat, curled up at the side, took ms
cane, lighted IA cigar, and Slll'ed forth. lie
entered the side gateOf the main entrance
Sauntered about the we'll wooded grounds,
came 10 the Keepers lodge, delivered his
message and asked to be allowed to SIT
down and drink a glass OF water. HIS APP
pearance. his complexion, his address,
struck Mrs. RedfeTn rs arlstOcratlc. She
made him very welcome, entered into con
yerSation with him, assured him that hei
marriage had been a come down I'LL NE
and that though she lived under a cottage
roof she knew what good society was nav
ing lived in baTOuial halls. This was q
little hit of an eXaggeration, but 1t did noI
matter. Baronial halls-even when con
yerted by an inirmity OF the speaker
into 'alls-Sounds we'll.
Mr. Beaufort assured the lady that he
quite believed it. Something IN her speech
and hearing struck him ~ out of the rom
mon when he first saw her. Then she TOLD
him how she had acquired her finished ad
dress and polite hearing. She had beeI
lady's maid To the Misses ~TOttenhamS, o
the great house, one OF whom was nov
married. The other wa still single, hui
said 10 be engaged. Ii was a sad blow, she
said, to old Mr.. Tottenham that his eldes'
son had married an actress; he was not al
lowed to remain in the firm. He was givel
AN annuity and did not come to RingwOod
And this, sir, " she said, ~ Trip appear
ed, this, sir, is my daughter"
You sister, surely exclaimed Mr.
Beaufort, starting tn his feet and bOwin!
gracefully, with II way Of his hat.
My daughter, an only child, sir, aget
eighteen"
impossible, madamri'
Pray be seated" urged the t~attereC
Mn. Redfern.
If I might offer you some Of our modes
ale and humble cake, air, or unpretentlou'
biscuits"
with the highest pleasure. My nam'
i ought to have introduced myself
Beaufort" he put 4 card on the table
You NAV chance to know the name; |
YOU study the peerage, You will nave Oh
served that there is 4 duke of my name
Mrs. Redfern was iddy with excitement
She whispered to her daughter, LENA
put on you myrtle green with coffee trim
mings; in it You look beautifulleSt. ''TheT
she FASTENED to produce cake, biscuSts
glasses, and q Jug of ale, and plared then
ON the little table under the balcony of tn
picturesque cottage.
After a pause, and the eating of a his
cult, Mr.. Beaufort said:
so YOU, INV dear madame, were lady:
maid ut RingwOOd. A position of grra
reSpOnsibility-neNt to that of the butler
the most
.'Responsibilityr" exclaimed Mrs. Red
fern, II should think so. I've had thou
sands of pounds worth of iewelry pas
through my hands. My young ladies wer,
awful careless, and left their brooches anC
bracelets, and necklaces about. I've haC
times u of mind to put them away 10
them. / didn't think it right that the!
should he left littering anywhere
And where did you put them away
madame?"
In morocco cases, locked in 4 Jewel box
which was kept in the wardrobe. Bu'
there is not quite so much now as was, II
the eldest of the young ladies is married
and took hers away with her"
II suppose the plate of the family mus
be superb?'
'Soup-erb amt the word for it," said
Mrs Redtern.
What sort OF a gentleman now, is the
butler?"
MI. Thomson. oh, polished as hi:
plate.S
Would il be possible for me to see Oyel
the house? lam thinkiRgof building Beau
fort court in Worcestershire, and am in
terested in gentlemen's palaces, One car
take hints everywhere, ] find that i, If Ont